SLH vs. Mr & Mrs Smith Hotels

Introduction

For years, the partnership between World of Hyatt and Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) was the “gold standard” for luxury travelers. It allowed you to book $800 Italian villas for 25,000 Hyatt points and enjoy full elite perks. But in the “Great Switch” of 2024, that partnership dissolved. Hyatt acquired the Mr & Mrs Smith platform, while SLH moved its loyalty alliance to Hilton Honors.

Now, in 2026, the dust has settled. Travelers are left with two distinct options: the massive, design-forward portfolio of Mr & Mrs Smith bookable via Hyatt, and the traditional boutique luxury of SLH bookable via Hilton. Which one deserves your points?

The Core Difference: The shift to Hilton has been a massive upgrade for certificate holders and elite members who prioritize breakfast. Hilton Gold and Diamond members receive automatic continental breakfast and can use Free Night Rewards at SLH properties. Conversely, Hyatt’s Mr & Mrs Smith partnership is a “earn and burn” arrangement; while you earn elite nights, you lose the guaranteed benefits and fixed award chart that made the old partnership legendary.

The Portfolios: Vibe and Inventory

While both collections market themselves as “boutique,” their personalities differ significantly.

Small Luxury Hotels (SLH)

SLH is the “Old World” luxury choice. Its portfolio of 500+ hotels leans heavily towards Europe and traditional vacation spots. Think family-owned Italian palazzos, French chateaus, and classic Caribbean resorts. The properties are often historic, independently owned, and focus on traditional hospitality.

Mr & Mrs Smith (MMS)

Mr & Mrs Smith is the “Cool Kid” of the hotel world. Acquired by Hyatt, this platform aggregates over 700 properties that are often more modern, design-centric, and “sexy.” You’ll find converted warehouses in London, treehouses in Sweden, and ultra-modern desert camps. Note that MMS is a booking platform, not a brand, meaning they curate hotels that may belong to other chains (like IHG’s Six Senses or Virgin Limited Edition).

Elite Benefits: The “Breakfast” Gap

This is where the battle is won and lost. If you hold status with Hilton (Gold/Diamond) or Hyatt (Globalist), your experience will be drastically different.

The Hilton Advantage: Hilton Honors explicitly extended its breakfast benefit to SLH properties. While the terms specify “Continental Breakfast,” many boutique properties provide their standard buffet, though this varies by hotel. For a family or couple, this saves $60–$100 per morning.

The Hyatt Disappointment: World of Hyatt Globalists, who are used to the best treatment in the industry, get very little at Mr & Mrs Smith properties. There is no guaranteed breakfast benefit. While some MMS rates include breakfast automatically, you cannot rely on your status to get it for free if the base rate doesn’t include it. You do receive a “Smith Extra”—usually a bottle of wine or a small local gift—but it rarely equals the value of a full meal.

If breakfast is your priority, check out our guide on strategies to get free breakfast without top status, which is essential for MMS stays.

Redemption Value: Fixed vs. Dynamic

The math heavily favors Hilton for “aspirational” redemptions, while Hyatt offers better flexibility but lower value.

Hilton Honors at SLH

Hilton integrates SLH properties into its standard redemption structure. While Hilton uses dynamic pricing, there is effectively a “ceiling” for Standard Room Rewards at most properties (typically ranging from 95,000 to 150,000 points). Crucially, the 5th Night Free benefit applies to these stays for Silver elites and above.

• Sweet Spot Example: A Maldives resort costing $1,200/night might book for 130,000 Hilton points. With the 5th night free, you pay 520,000 points for a $6,000 stay.
• Valuation: In this specific example, you achieve ~1.15 cents per Hilton point. This is double the standard valuation of 0.5–0.6 cents, proving that SLH is one of the best uses of Hilton points.

Hyatt at Mr & Mrs Smith

Hyatt uses pure dynamic pricing for Mr & Mrs Smith. There is no award chart (e.g., Category 1–8). Instead, the points cost is directly tied to the cash price of the room at a rate of approximately 1.0 to 1.2 cents per point.

• The Math: A $500 room will cost roughly 40,000 to 50,000 Hyatt points.
• The Problem: Since we value Hyatt points at 1.7+ cents each, redeeming them at 1.1 cents is technically a loss of value. You are better off saving Hyatt points for Park Hyatt or Andaz stays where you can get 2.0+ cents per point.
• No Sweet Spots: Because the points cost floats with the cash price, you will never find an “outsized” deal during peak season.

For more on maximizing Hyatt’s own portfolio, read our Ultimate Guide to World of Hyatt.

Booking & Earning

Earning Points: Both programs treat these stays as “native” for earning.

• Hilton: You earn 10 base points per dollar + elite bonuses. Using a Hilton credit card yields huge multipliers (up to 34x total for Diamonds with an Aspire card). See how to stack this with Amex transfers to Hilton.
• Hyatt: You earn 5 base points per dollar + elite bonuses. These stays count towards Milestone Rewards and the “Brand Explorer” perk (earning a free night for every 5 unique brands stayed at).

Important Note: You must book through the hotel loyalty program’s official site (Hyatt.com or Hilton.com) to earn points and receive benefits. Booking via the Mr & Mrs Smith or SLH standalone websites will not earn you loyalty points.

Final Verdict

The split has created a clear divide based on what you value most.

Choose Hilton (SLH) if:

• You want free breakfast and are a Gold or Diamond member.
• You have Free Night Certificates to burn.
• You are looking for high-value redemptions (Sweet Spots) rather than revenue-based pricing.

Choose Hyatt (Mr & Mrs Smith) if:

• You need to earn Elite Qualifying Nights to reach Globalist status.
• You want to stay at a specific, trendy property that isn’t available elsewhere.
• You are cash-rich and points-rich, and don’t mind getting slightly lower value per point for the convenience of booking via Hyatt.

Frequently Asked Questions